Day 1 highlights of Sequencing, Finishing and Analysis in the Future Meeting (SFAF 2013)

• All four platforms are actively trying to increase their read lengths (although we didn’t see significant guidance beyond Ion’s 400 bp reads)
• Haley mentioned that Illumina’s latest aquisition of Moleculo technology might one day replace current Mate-pair library prep (if prices can be lowered).
• MiSeq DX was pulled back because Illumina has been able to increase MiSeq output. A clinical instrument will require a locked down platform.
• Turner said that he expects 30,000 PacBio base pairs in 3 years. Shearing technologies and polymerases would have to be improved for better-read lengths.
• PGM can produce >2G aligned Q20 bases with even coverage (E. coli) using their 318, 400 bp chip.
• Fiske said that Illumina spends 25% of revenue on R&D, Life Tech and Thermo spend 5% and 3% respectively.
• Illumina needs help with better and higher fidelity polymerases. Suggested that Illumina would consider purchasing companies who have breakthrough technologies related to polymerases.